The stage is set for a showdown between native landowners and government/company officials over a proposed reforestration and oil palm project in mid-Baram in northern Sarawak tomorrow.

sarawak penan community in ba jawi ulu baram 160609 03 Hundreds of supporters of a native community against the government-approved planned commercial reforestration and oil palm plantation activities affecting thousands of hectares of native customary rights (NCR) land in Mulu are making their way to Kampung Long Terawan to try and stop a signing ceremony from taking place.

This morning, two express boats left Kuala Baram at the estuary of the Baram River, Malaysia's second-longest natural waterway, with Berawan people from Miri and neighbouring regions for Long Terawan, a river journey of about 10 hours.

Large groups were also leaving by boat from Marudi, the administrative headquarters of the Baram District about 160km from Kuala Baram, also headed for Long Terawan to join the others in the Berawan area to show how they feel.

Banners and placards

A spokesperson for the action committee Willie Kajan told Malaysiakini that the demonstrators will be carrying banners and placards to 'welcome' the Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDCT) general manager Talif @ Len Salleh.

Talif is expected to fly by helicopter to the kampong with Pusaka KTS Plantations security officer Vincent Chapman to attend the signing ceremony with selected representatives of the kampung.

baram sarawak The action committee are saying that kampung chief Edmund Abang and a handful of representatives cannot claim to represent the entire community over the land matter issue, especially when no survey has been carried out and the terms and conditions of an agreement have not been agreed beforehand.

"It looks like the company is intent on pushing through with the signing tomorrow and we will be there to make sure it does not happen," he added.

Also expected are directors of the joint-venture company, including Henry Lau, managing director of the timber-based conglomerate KTS Holdings.

Police have been notified

Kajan told Malaysiakini he had already notified the police, both in Marudi and Miri, about the planned demonstration and were advised not to use any force.

"We intend it to be a peaceful demonstration to show how we all feel about the project on our NCR land and the rejection of our proposed terms and conditions for the agreement," he added.

This will be one of the big organised protests against a Sarawak government’s plan on reforestation and oil palm plantation activities that affect NCR land.

The action committee has also released correspondence between the committee and relevant authorities as well as their own proposed joint-venture agreement which has been rejected by the company.

The majority of the 1,000-strong Berawan community are against the project, according to the village action committee spokesperson.